1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an above-ground type wind power collection device and, more particularly, to an air-floating carrier type wind power collection device that can stably stay in the air while providing enhanced wind power generating efficiency.
2. Description of the Related Art
Regardless of using either horizontal or vertical shaft type wind power generators, the performance of current wind power generation is affected by the installation site. When mounted on the ground, the electricity output of the wind power generators is greatly affected by the atmospheric boundary layer flow due to the terrain. By comparison, the atmospheric flow in the upper air has a static wind velocity and strong wind. Thus, devices or systems capable of staying in the air are another option of current development of offshore wind power generation. Currently, horizontal shaft type wind power generators utilizing the upper air current include a tower or column structure that has a high manufacturing cost and that is difficult to maintain and repair while having a limitation to the height of the tower or column structure. Thus, it is impossible to timely adjust the height of the wind power generator or the windward face responsive to the changeable upper-air climate. As a result, when the wind in the upper air is either too small or too strong and changes its direction, the normal energy transmission mechanism of the wind power generator will be adversely affected, failing to provide the required generating efficiency.
Nowadays, air-floating carriers, such as flying boats and balloons, are developed to carry generating mechanisms to the upper air for collecting the wind power to generate electricity that is subsequently transmitted to the ground. Such development is an important option for use of recycled energy. As an example, when a commercial airplane equipped with a small turbofan looses its power, electricity can be generated by the relative speed and can be used in navigation or a communication system. The literature also discloses that a flying boat can be equipped with a wind power generating device so that the wind power generating device can obtain the required wind power for normal operation when the flying boat is in the upper air. Thus, the wind energy can be used for generating electricity.
Since the wind power generating device mounted to a flying boat depends on a large fan that is mounted to an outer side of the flying boat so as to be driven by the strong wind in the upper air for generating electricity. However, the large fan requires large power to drive the vanes of the fan. Namely, strong wind in the upper air is required for generating electricity. Continuous generation of electricity can not be maintained, leading to low generating efficiency and ineffective use of wind energy in the upper air.
Furthermore, the direction of the air currents in the upper air is changeable, causing violent wobbling of the carrier carrying the wind power generating device and adversely affecting normal operation of the wind power generating device. Thus, it is difficult to collect and use the abundant wind energy in the upper air in a stable state and at a stable height. The application values of conventional techniques of air-floating carriers are not satisfactory. As a result, air-floating carriers can not completely replace conventional tower or column type wind power generating mechanisms, which is an extreme waste of the abundant wind energy in the upper air.
Thus, to solve the above-mentioned disadvantages, a need exists for a novel wind power collection device that can effectively collect and use the energy of the strong wind in the upper air without being adversely affected by the upper-air climate and that can stably stay at a suitable height in the upper air having steady strong wind.